Coupler for railway and like vehicles



July 3, 1923. 1,460,974

F. A. MACKINNON ET AL COUPLER FOR RAILWAY AND LIKE VEHICLES Filed June 24 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet l rne/v.75

July 3, 1923. msm m F. A. MACKINNON ET AL COUPLER FOR RAILWAY AND LIKE VEHICLES Filed June 2-4 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /IVl/EN roe: P250521: 4 MAC/Hl/V/VON domv Ham on/ I a}, W

July 3, 1923. 11,466.),974

' F. A. MACKINNON ET AL I COUPLER FOR RAILWAY AND L'IKE VEHICLES Filed June 24 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNVE/V TOE P259521: 4 %6//V/VOM I don/v HHMRSO ,47 TOP/VE/S July 3, 1923. 7 Q 1,4609%! F. A. MACKINNON ET AL COUPLER FOR RAILWAY AND LIKE VEHICLES Filed June 24. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheef do HN HFIMFS M July 3, 1923. v 1,460,974 F A. MACKINNON ET AL COUPLER FOR RAILWAY AND LIKE VEHICLES Filed June 24. 1921 I s Sheets- Sheet s I Patented July 3, 1923.

irsn si ares rear FREDE RIC A." MAGKINNON ANDJOHN HAMI-SON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

'CDUPIEER"FOR 'RAILVZAY AND LIKE"VEHIGLES.

Toni-Z whom it may icoace'mbeen proposed to provideeach vehicle with a pivoted loop or shackle each oi which is brought into engagement with a hook on the adj acent vehicle; the shackles heingin some casesanou-ntecl on' cent'rah hntfersL In some cases'the sh'ackleof anadjacentvehicle is retained in engagement with the' draw bar hook by a hook or shield also having an op- L erative surface adapted when the hook-or shield is rotated to move the shackle out' of engagement with said ,-hook*:to efiect -un coupling. 7

According to the general principle of: our invention we providethe draw hook with a pivoted member-having a lower hook-adapted to take over a shackle oi. an'adjacent've hicle when said shackle is in-engagement with said' draw hook, and an'upperyhook adapted to engage ashackle'oi a neighbour ing vehicle. Y

'1 In orderthat't-he invention may be: more clearlynnderstood, we willxnow describe one typical method of applying the same to a railway wagon. 7

"The. wagon is provided, as previously stated, with theordinary' central 'drawebar or draw. hookfwhich in this case is furnished on: the inside with aisnhstantially vertical portion.

Behind the forward portionot the drawbar is a pivotally mounted'hook 'which'has a downwardly turned portion adapted to engage over the shackleotf the'neighbouring coupled truck, ahd l'ockth'e same! in the draw bar, asjherei-nafter described.

'f Bigidly connected to'thej pivo'tally mounted hook just mentioned: is aiplate otparticiilar. construction having in 'cthe preferred case a-plurality of, operative surfaces for the purposes hereinafter more fully explained.

4 Extending from the side of'the vehicle and supported: in suitable *bearings is a transverse rodpprotuded with-air operating handle at the s de ofthe vehicley a'nd fur nished Wltll a cranked portlonwvhich is adapted to cooperate with a surface onthe plate in connection with the swinging lock ing hook, in such a way that when the handle is rocked over, the lockinghook is raised in order to enable the-shackle'of-the opposite truck to be released.

- The plate in connection with the-locking hook is also provided with a surfaoe',-'-so shapedthat whe-n the plate and the hook are rocked upwards, this siirfaceraises the loop or shackleof the opposite 'triick 'out oi" engagement with the drawhook.

Pivotally mounted iii-connection with the device and on each side -'of-the drawhook are the ends of the loop or shackle intended to he engaged with the. drawhook ofithe opposite vehicle, and the construction issuch that this loop or shackle can' only-dropito a position in which it is substantially horiu Zontal, so that itcomesint-o the correct position for automatic couplingwhen two trucks or vehicles are brought together.

T he forward nose of each of the hooks is so-shaped as to cause one o'r'the other of the loops or shackles to be deflectedgnpwards and thus enable them to drop into engage inent \vith'the hook and additional means may he provided for ensuring that two loops or shackles on opposite vehicles cannot come into contact-in such ama'nnena's to cause breakage.

In one mehtod of'practical construction, w'e p'rovide a plate-oneach side or the lock:

ing hook and we provide a transverse rod extending toeach side'o't-the vehicle, sothat the pivoted locking'hook may be operated from an independent handle at either side o'f-the vehicle. v y

As an alternative, the swinging hook may he provided withonly oneplate andlthis plate may be operated from acranked arm or the like. attached to a. transversespindle provided with a handle at each. side of the vehicle. In some'cases one or .botlrof the opposite loop's 0r. shacklesim'ay berprovidedwith a roller. or the like, solthat irtin .theiprocessiof co11pling, .the.v loops or shackles .comeninto contact one of them. will beodefiecteda upwards or piishedoutofthe Way and nendaniage or breakage will take place.

We prefer to use, in connection with the operating handle for operating the uncoupling, means for locking the apparatus in the coupled position.

This may consist of a pivotally mounted device at the side ofthe vehicle, the said device being provided with a grooved or channeled portion along which the operating handle slides. Suitably located in the groove is a hole or recess into which the end of the'handle engages, the position of the device being then that in which the swinging locking hook is in the disengaged position. The mechanism may be instantly released by the shunter or other official by simply swinging the device round its pivot thus disengaging the handle and allowing the swinging hook to drop back into its position for automatic engagement.

In order that the invention may be readily understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the automatic coupling in coupled position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 show the parts of the coupling in their relative positions during automatic coupling.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the pivoted locking hook.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 88, Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 shows a method of uncoupling.

Fig. 10 shows a method by means of which the parts of the coupling may be retained in the disengaged position.

Figs. 11 and 12 are side views and plan respectively showing the vehicles coupled together, the draw bars being constructed to form buffers.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the outer end of one of the draw bars shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

Fig. 14 shows a simple method for effecting uncoupling.

In Figs. 1 to 10 of the drawings, the adjacent ends of the railway carriages, wagons, trucks or the like are indicated at a, a each being provided with the usual buffers b, I), which may be of the usual well known construction.

c, c, are the hooked draw-bars or the like, which are rigidly or substantially rigidly connected centrally to the ends of the wagons in the usual manner. The hooked portion of each of these bars is formed with an outer inclined surface 0 whilst the hook proper is preferably formed with a substantially vertical inner face, as shown at 0 Between the hook proper and the rear of the wagon the draw bar is provided with a perforation to receive a bolt or the like (Z on which the usual loop or shackle e is retatably mounted. The loop or shackle may be formed in one or more parts, its outer end constituting a loop 6 whilst the inner forked ends are provided or formed with a segment shaped plate 6 which when the shackle is in a substantially horizontal posi tion, Fig. 2 abuts against the rear surface of the wagon, or a bearing plate secured thereto.

Pivotally mounted on the bolt d is a looking hook F of particular construction, shown separately at Fig. 7 and furnished with a plurality of operating surfaces for purposes hereinafter described. This device is preferably formed of two flat plates, f f suitably spaced apart and secured together by bolts 9, the distance between the plates being such as to permit of free movement of the device about its pivot, the plates being located on each side of the hooked draw-bar 0.

The locking hooks F are adapted to oscillate freely about the aXis of their bolts (Z and are preferably mounted on a tubular bearing piece it, the ends of which extend beyond the outer surfaces of the plates 7 f and constitute a distance piece between the forked end of the shackle e, the bolt d passing through the tubular member 71 and the shackle and being secured by split pins or in any other suitable manner.

The locking or coupling hook F is formed of particular construction inasmuch as the outer surfaces are shaped or formed to effect varying operations or movements with respect to the shackle e of an adjacent Waggon with which coupling is to be effected.

The upper portion of the locking hook is formed with a double hook the lower member f of which normally coincides with or approximately coincides with the vertical inner face 0 of the draw-bar 0 on which it is mounted (see Fig. 3) whilst the upper member f normally projects upwardly and serves to co-operate with the end of the shackle of the adjacent waggon to form a double lock as hereinafter described.

The lower portion of the locking hook is substantially segment shaped as shown at f its rear face f normally abutting against the rear face of the Waggon, shown in Fig. 3. The upper front face of the seg ment shaped portion f is also formed as an inclined surface at f and serves to disengage the end of the shackle e of the adjacent Waggon. when the apparatus is operated for uncoupling.

In order to enable the uncoupling to be effected the endof the Waggon is provided on one or both sides with a transverse rod 70, Figs. 8 and 9, provided with an operating handle Z. The rod 72 is supported in suitable bearings and is cranked at 70 at its inner end to engage the rear surface f of thelocking hook F so that when the handle Z is operated the locking hook F is rotated about its pivot the segme11tal portion 7" being raised in order-to, enable the shackle of the opposite truektobereleased.

The operation is'as followswards the Waggon a to effect-coupling.

Theouter ends of theloopsorzshackles e are; each rifolflfied' with. an inclined or ta'peringtongueor lug e and when; the lugs of the 'shacklesof thee-waggons, a a meek-one orfthe otheris deflected upwardly as will bereadily understood.

: In the drawings it isassumedthatonthe Waggon a approaching; the wag-gen a,'its shackle e is deflected upwardly. In the position shown at Fig. 4, it' will be seen-that the end of theushackle e of the; Waggon. a has. just reachedtheinclined surface 03f.

the Waggon. (1. rilIlCl begins to-;.ri.de up this surfaceitowards the top ofithe-hookr .In

so. doing? the. outer curved-end of the loop proper c? engagesbtheaunden face of the forked GHClSuOf theopposite' shackle eand causes the latter to be rotated aboutthebolt d ofthe Waggon a to the-position-shown in Fig.1 5 and :alsorto engage the front face.

hook F-oii' the Waggon a as shown in Fig; 1, thexlocking hook Rot the wagon a tall-- bEt'Cli'tO'llJS normal position in which the. lower hook passes behind .theloop of the shackle of Waggon a. The two waggons are now securely coupled together, a double-lock being-effected between the shackle e of the Waggon a. and .the draw bar ofthe adjacent waggon a andbetween shackle e ofwaggon a and the upper hook #101 themember F- of the wagon. a. The operation would. be

substantiallyathe same if the shackle e of Waggon a were deflected upwardly, \the positionyof the double lookin this .case being reversed.

In SOI'HGICRSBS duringshunting operations, ityery often happens that theimpact-of one. Waggon against-anotherjis sufficient to cause the. buffers to telescope to the extent ofwtheir zmaximum stroke and. in 1 order to prevent-any: strain of impact being trans-- mitted to the coupling, the drawfbars 6 1151116. thetlocking hook'are shapeddn such aman: ner-that the end i otthe A shackle of .theaadj acentaggon is: guided {so as to 1 prevent any .d-ireot=;-.end to end 'engagement pf the parts. For. this purpose the vupper; surface of: the drawbars a: is-rcurved' nnwardly and rearrward-lyat 0 -.1towards \themwaggon, whilst the rearof the hookf is cut awayas shown at'f ig; fi shows-the positionof the variouspartsof the coupling, when the buffers N ormally the coupling devices. of the .wag-xgons are in the relative. position shown-in- Fig. 3-and in the. following descriptioncfthe operation itis to be :assumed that-the.- waggon a is. being. shunted .-or moved -toofthe-waggons a and a have been compressed. totheir m aximumextent. -It will be seenthat-the looped end 6 of the shackle e of Waggon a has moved past-the hook 0 Oif theyCllaw bar a ot waggon at, whilst the extremeend ofsaid shackle-has moved the shackle e ofvthe-adjacent- Waggon to almost a vertical position, thc locking hook F of Waggon-a being also rotated rearwardly. By this means as will be seen at Fig. 6, the end of the shackle ofthe Waggon a ridesup the surface i 0]? the member F and enters" the cut away portion f",so that no strain is impartedto any portion of the coupling. The method or eifecting uncoupling is shown in Fig. 9 the operating lever lot the Waggon a is operated so that its cranked innerend engages the rear face f of the locking-hook F, the parts assumingthe positions. indicated by: :dotted lines. During its movement :to this position the curved face f? engages the end ofthe shackle of Waggon a and raises the-same out of engagement with the hookof the draw-bar 0. Simultaneously the end otsaidshackle engages beneath the shackle of the Waggon a whereby the same is movedzupwardly (dotted lines) out of engagement Wlilllmllll upper hook f of the member F of Waggon a se t-baton thewaggons being separated by the buffers, or by drawing one Waggon away from anotheiy-uncoupling is effected.

r 1f desired, means may be employed tor retaining the operating lever Z in the position in. which thewaggons are uncoupled. One simple device by means of which this maybe effected is shownin Fig. 10. The device comprises a bar or the like m, which is grooved orchannelledat m on the side facing the operatinglever Z. The bar is pivoted at mtto the side of the Waggon and normally tends tozrotate, by its own weight, towards the'end thereof. .VVhen the-operating handle is rotated to the position shown in dottedlines, its outer. end engages a recess or aperture m on the channelled barlmp: Bynthis means the locking hook F ismaintained in the position in which the shackles .of athe vehicles are disengaged fromdheir hooks as previously described. Thealocking or.retaining .bar we may be instantly released by the shunter or other ofiicial-by simply swingingthe rod m'aboutits pivot thus disengaging" the handle Z and the swinging-hook F falls back to its nor- 'mal position under its own weight, thus bringingtheparts back to position for an.-

tomatie engagement.

Referring now to the constructionshown "Figs. 11,112,113 and 14, instead of-providing the-vehicles a,-a with theordinary buflers on each side of thecoupling as in=the construction previously described, the drawbars 0 c are mounted slidably on the undercarriage of the vehicle. Suitable buffering springs being provided to take up the impact when the two vehicles come violently into contact with one another and take the pull during hauling.

In the construction shown, the-forward end 01 the draw-bar is shaped at 0 to form a suitable curved surface, the centre of the curved portion being cut away to permit of the shackle 6 moving to the horizontal position and to permit the end 6 ot the shackle of the opposite vehicle to ride up the inclined surface 0 in order to engage with the hook 0 The rear end of the butter is mounted slidably in suitable guides a and a on the undecarriage of the vehicle, and is provided with a butling spring .9 engaging the guide a at one end and a collar or flange 0 at its opposite end, so that the draw bar is capable of sliding movement inwardly from the end of the vehicle to a limited extent, against the tension of the spring 8. On the opposite side of the fixed guide a is a second spring 8 mounted between said guide and a collar or flange fixed to the rear portion of the draw bar. The spring 8 is arranged to take up any strains produced during a pull on the coupling, so that the draw bar is capable of longitudinal movement in both directions from its normal position, as determined by the size and strength of the respective springs s and 8 In order to maintain the shackle e of each vehicle in a substantially horizontal position ready for automatic coupling, the rear end of the hook portion of the draw bar a is formed with lugs c on opposite sides against which the rear face 7 of the locking hook F and the segment shaped plate 6 of the shackle abut when these members are in their normal position. The shape of the hookportion of the draw bar may also preterably be modified to give additional clearance, as shown at c to ensure that no strain is exerted upon any portion of the coupling when two vehicles are brought violently together.

As will be seen the c0upling is in no way affected by the compression of extension of the butlers and further enables the vehicles to be coupled automatically or uncoupled manually when the buffers are either compressed or extended.

The movements of the shackle of one of the vehicles to e'lifect uncoupling may be eftected in any suitable manner, and it operated from one side of the body of the vehicle, provision must be made to permit movements of the butters and the couplings carried thereby.

One simple method of effecting uncoupling when the coupling means are combined with a buffing draw-bar is shown in Fig. 14. The pivot pin (Z on which the locking hook F and the shackle e is. mounted, is extended on one or both sides and on said extension is keyed a two armed lever t, one arm t of which preferably carries a roller 2 engaging a longitudinal. slot a in a lever a mounted on a shaft 0 extending from side to side of the vehicle. The opposite arm t of the two armed lever is provided with a projection extending inwardly and engaging a slot or recess f in the rear face 7 of the locking hook F. The shaft 41 is provided at one or both ends with an operating lever 10 by means of which said shaft may be rotated from either side of the vehicle. By thismeans, uncoupling. of two vehicles may be effected, whether the buiiing draw bars are compressed or extended. When the butter is compressed, the slotted lever u is partially rotated around the axis of the shaft '2; but no corresponding movement is imparted to the locking hook F.

It is evident that the details of construction be varied considerably without departing from the principle of our invention.

For instance in place of operating the disengaging and engaging hook from a cranked arm indirectly it may in some cases be positively operated directly from a handle at the side of the vehicle.

With devices of the kind described, the important advantage is that it is only necessary to bring the vehicles to which they are fitted into position for coupling whereupon the coupling is automatically effected, owing to the fact that one or other of the projecting loops or shackles rides up the nose of the hook upon the opposite vehicle, drops over same and is then automatically locked by the hook upon the safety device in connection with the draw-bar. Uncoupling is ettfectedwith equal facility by operating the handle on one or other side of the vehicle, thus raising the safety hook out of position and at the same time lifting the loop or shackle out of engagement with the draw bar, whereupon under the action of the spring butters or otherwise, the vehicles become completely detached.

The preferred construction in which the plates forming the locking hook or books are formed with inclined or cam-like surfaces which push against the loop or shackle and automatically raise it out of the draw hook whilst raising the locking hook is of particular advantage as it excludes all possibility of the hooks catching in the process of uncoupling.

Another method of effecting the desired movement of the locking hook in order to 1 effect uncoupling consists in extending the pivot pin about which the locking hook and the shackle oscillate, and to provide the extension with a tubular member having a tongue or projection at one end, adapted to engage the rear face of said hook. The tubular member is preferably formed with an elongated circumferential slot with which a stud fixed to the pivot pin engages. The

opposite or outer end of the pivot pin is pro vided with a suitable operating lever 10- cate-d towards the side of the vehicle.

By this means on rotation of the pivot pin, the tubular member is also rotated its tongue engaging the locking hook to effect the desired movement thereof.

WVe claim:

1. In an automatic coupling for railway and like vehicles, the combination with the draw hook and a pivoted shackle of a pivoted member provided with a lower hook adapted to engage a shackle of an adjacent vehicle when said last mentioned shackle is in engagement with said draw hook, and with an upper hook, adapted to engage the shackle of an adjacent vehicle.

2. A coupling device for railway and other vehicles, comprising a draw bar provided with a hook, mounted on each vehicle, a pivoted shackle on each of said draw bars, and a pivoted member on each of said draw bars, each of said pivoted members having a lower hook and an upper hook, the lower hook of the pivoted member on one vehicle engaging the shackle of the second vehicle whilst the upper hook of the pivoted member on the second vehicle engages at the same time with the shackle of the first vehicle.

3. A coupling device for railway and thelike vehicles comprising two vehicles, each having a draw bar provided with a hook, a pivoted shackle and a pivoted hook member and means on each vehicle for guiding the shackle of one vehicle into engagement with the draw bar hook of the second vehicle and for moving the shackle of the second vehicle into a position to engage the upper hook of the pivoted hook member of the first vehicle, for the purposes set forth.

4. In an automatic coupling for railway and the like vehicles the combination with a draw bar and a pivoted shackle of a pivoted member provided with a lower hook and an upper hook, said member consisting of two relatively flat plates spaced apart to receive the draw bar between them, the shackle and pivoted member being mounted to oscillate about a common pivot extending through the draw bar, for the purposes set forth.

5. A coupling device for railway and other vehicles, comprising a draw bar provided with a hook, mounted on each vehicle, a pivoted shackle on each of said draw bars, and a pivoted member on each of said draw bars, each of said pivoted members having a lower hook and an upper hook, the lower book of the pivoted member on one vehicle engaging the shackle of the second vehicle whilst the upper hook of the pivoted member on the second vehicle engages at the same time with the shackle of the first vehicle, and means for oscillating the pivoted member on one vehicle to disengage the shackles from their respective hooks, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

Dated this 8th day of June, 1921.

FREDERIC ALEXANDER MacKlNNON. JOHN HAMPSON. 

